All aboard for morning town…

haiku #1

All aboard the train
Groove to your favourite tunes
Feet tapping in time…

haiku #2

random encounters
with faceless strangers exchanged
for a life with me

haiku #3

past passed security
throbbing bass in the darkness
you are the music

Inspired this morning to write three quite different haiku. Writing on the train is always a challenge. My thoughts are so random. Often the music I am listening too shapes the haiku. I might try writing to a theme as Scot does at Be Not Inhospitable to Strangers. He wrote a Jamaican Trilogy.

Last night I went to see The Future of the Australian Race. I can recommend it for you library types and those of you interested in ideas. Wonderful, set, performance and writing. Who knew a play about bohemian librarian and conservative judge could be so riveting. We donated about 300 discarded bound exam papers to the writers and they looked wonderful on set. We get a mention in the program.

Gloomy autumnal days… and lack luster dancing

I witnessed some lack luster dancing last night. But it was so bad it was good. It started me thinking about the Melbourne shuffle. Being too old for the rave scene (self-imposed). I have never tried the shuffle. But there are plenty of you tube videos of how to do it. After my attempt to teach myself to moon-walk I may add the shuffle to my repertoire of moves to bust out.

Haiku #1

the Melbourne shuffle
or poorly performed moonwalks -
lack luster dancing

I am often witness to public displays of affection on the train. It is so sweet. I was moved to write this today:

Haiku #2

luminous lovers
bathing in joy and beauty
passions over flow

Enjoy the gloomy, autumnal day in Melbourne we are blessed by rain today :o). If anyone knows of a good funk band that plays in Melbourne -  I am looking for somewhere with a live band to go and get my groove on with a friend. Any suggestions welcome.

Peace

Thursday Haiku - light and dark

#1

meandering down
life’s by-ways and finding you
strumming your guitar

#2

deep fried emptiness
oozes forth from dark places
binding me to you

Haiku Tuesday

Well here are a few more bad Haiku for you to squirm to. Sorry for lack of appropriate image but I am having problems with uploading. They wont crunch! This pastoral scene will give you something to contemplate.

Haiku #1

We fly together
Towards summer promises
- letting our hair down

Haiku #2

Watching the sun rise
you reach out your hand to me
I take it and smile

Haiku #3

Straightening your fork-
sweeping the hair from your face
You avoid my eyes

A mixed bag today again focusing on relationships. I am trying a new technique where I listen to my ipod and write and the same time. It’s not helping.

Peace out

Without a hitch

The cats visited on and off all night the tinkle of their collar bells woke me up. A few times in the night I was licked on the face by a wet dog tongue (not as pleasant as it sounds - ugh) but relatively restful night. I think it will be alright.

I ventured off to the local leash off park this morning at 6.15 am, it was still dark. Despite being told that the dog would lead me there, I eventually asked for directions. Chatted to a few of the local dog owners. Met Jack and Gemma. Traded dog bios… yes he’s about 18 months, from the lost dogs home his name is Guyus Maximus Finklepuss… Guy for short. I am dog sitting. Yes he is gorgeous.

I am looking forward to the late evening walk to see who turns up.

The other plus about living in East St Kilda for a week is that it is only one train stop from work and a 10 minute bike ride (woo hoo). I could really get used to this. Last night I sampled some of the local fare.

I have also been relishing the access to a very eclectic music collection. Last night I added Kate Bush, Elvis Costello, Massive Attack, The Carpenters, Goldfrapp, Mika, Miles Davis and The Velvet Underground to my music library. I can’t wait to spend some more time sampling from this collection.

It’s fun to step out of your usual routine and try new things.

Peace

Props to Vika & Linda Ball

Very fortunate to catch two great gigs on the weekend:

1. Vika and Linda Ball @ the zoo - nice atmosphere, great rapport with crowd, incredible harmonies. Big voices
2. My Friend the Chocolate Cake - (MFCC) lush music, beautiful lyrics, great way to spend a Sunday afternoon

Both bands have been gigging around Australia for quite a long time but it was the first time I have caught MFCC. I thought that Tim Freedman (The Whitlams) and MFCC have a lot in common. Again another musical weekend. The summer is nearly over and I don’t think I will get to many more outdoor gigs. But really looking forward to the Melbourne international comedy festival coming up in a few weeks.

Peace

Summer Grooves

Yesterday I had the pleasure of spending a couple of hours in the sun listening to Rebecca Barnard and Ross Hannaford (Daddy Cool, Ross Hannaford Trio) play reggae music. It was a lovely, laid back gig - very family friendly.

They were supported by a Sundanese choir who sang devotional music. The highlight of the gig - Barnard’s cover of Bob Marley’s Three Little Birds and some great beat boxing by one of the Sundanese performers.

Coming up on the program at the Footscray Arts Centre Dya Singh World Music Group and then My Friend the Chocolate Cake on 24th February which I will saunter along to after the Melbourne Summer Cycle.

There is something uplifting about enjoying music outside in the summer sun. I am disappointed I didn’t get along to the St Kilda Festival but not a fan of really big crowds. I am heading off to Priscilla Queen of the Desert in a couple of weeks. Can’t wait!

I will leave you with Bob singing Stir it up

Peace

Healing power of music…

I am a big believer in the healing power of music. There is a lot of real science to back this theory up. Mine is just anecdotal and based on my experience. How can you feel bad when listening to the Best of my love (The Emotions) or the Simon & Garfunkle’s 59th Street Bridge Song (Feelin’ Groovy)?

But if you what to feel bad and wallow around in it for a while I am sure we all have music that takes us there. At the moment I can’t listen to Van Morrison because it reminds me of an affair of the heart that went wrong. A bit of a pity because Van Morrison has always been in my feel good playlist.

My life is punctuated by music - songs that remind me of particular people, times and places. I was at a friends place for dinner recently and he made an incredibly personal playlist for his partner’s birthday last year. I didn’t really notice it on the night but listening to again every song on the play list has meaning for both of them. It is a beautiful thing.

Although I am trying to practice simplicity, stillness and contentment in 2008… I don’t do stillness very well. I like filling spaces with music I love. I have eclectic musical tastes. Last night I spent a couple of hours on itunes looking at celebrity playlists. I was interested to see what music inspired this bunch of musos, artists and assorted others. The song lists I liked the best were Bob Sinclair (I already had most of the songs on his list), Russell Crow (yep I was surprised too) and Renee Geyer. Tonight I will have a listen to a couple of more. I need to have a look at the one put together by Elvis Costello.

I am interested in listening to new music as well as revisiting stuff I feel nostalgic for. If I am up late at night on the weekend I might flick Rage on and then if there is stuff I like go on to the ABC website and find the playlists for the night and get them off I tunes.

It’s fascinating to listen to sensory-challenged people talking about synaesthesia (being able to see, hear or taste sound). This is only happened to me a few times but I believe that music can trigger emotions that make you feel pain, love, joy, hope, happy, sad etc…

So if you want to feel uplifted today listen to this: Marvin Gaye singing What’s going on?

Peace out